The Sweetest Gift
by Got Buttermilk
Summary: Combine Heaven, roses, music and wine and you have the Sweetest Gift. Yuda never questioned the meaning of this again. YudaxShin


'**Lo, everybody – so awesome of you guys to stop by! **

**Saint Beast? Yuda and Shin? Sure, why not – there are so very few of these here. Maybe, hopefully, this incredibly long one-shot will inspire people to write a little for them on their own? They are awfully sweet, no?**

**This plot-idea came to me last summer, yeah, it really is a year old. Why not write it until now? I don't know! Blame my lack of inspiration! I mean, check out my user-name! XD**

**Warnings: **Unbetaed, long-shot, a little boyxboy kissing, mentions of non-con and OC

**Pairings: **Yuda/Shin, mentions of others

**A/N: **please also read the bottom-note AFTER READING THE STORY – CONTAINS SPOILERS – I'll try and explain a lot of things there. See you at the end of it all!

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* * *

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**The Sweetest Gift**

_Prologue__…_

There had always been music.

This small part of Heaven's forests had always slurred with smooth, carefully chosen notes or mournful, longing timbres.

Following the path leading to the musician's house was always exciting. The wanderer would feel his heartbeat quicken as the music got closer and closer to reaching its crescendo with every step he took.

When he finally entered the clearing in the woods his eyes would find the harpist sitting in the shadows of a grand almond tree. The musician would look vulnerable yet powerful with the harp in his hands and eyes nearly closed in relaxed concentration. Beautiful.

Yuda's heart would swell with warmth. This was his sanctuary, his sacred place.

The red-haired angel and Shin's relationship had blossomed from this music. It had drawn them together in the beginning, and intrigued with each other they would meet again and again, talking quietly at the riverbank or in the grass of the never-ending fields.

When they ran out of words Shin would play. Sometimes only a few shaky notes, other times he would create melodies that flowed over the indigo night-sky for hours.

The music soothed them and spoke to them of the peace and joy they had found in each other. Shin had once said that they balanced each other: Yuda inspired Shin to play and Shin composed for Yuda to hear. Yuda had kissed Shin.

Centuries had passed since their first encounter in the moonlight. That wasn't such a long time when you live an immortal life. Yuda still hadn't spoken with the blue-haired angel of the darker secrets of his heart, his ambitions and insecurities. Yuda was certain that Shin hadn't spoken of all of his either.

Sometimes Yuda would stress and almost force himself or his beloved to spill out his most intimate thoughts and doubts. But he would take a deep breath, release it and ask Shin to play something.

Like the greatest music was created, so would they open to each other all the way some day. It would take time, trust, inspiration, and deep, consensual emotions. Yuda told himself that he would wait. He wanted them to balance each other in every way that existed. Both of them had to be ready.

A selfless part of him was content as long as the music never stopped playing between them, as long as the other angel's amber eyes lit up in his presence.

Yuda would always smile when he reached Shin's house. He would take a moment and listen to the musician's harp-play before he approached his beloved. He would know that when he went to sleep that night, Shin's music would have eased his sorrows or lightened his darker moods.

Yuda prayed that there would always be music.

_End prologue…_

* * *

Silence…

Yuda frowned softly, though he felt intensely uneasy on the inside.

Even though the winds were rustling the trees and the birds were chirping and singing triumphantly the silence was deafening. For a moment he almost thought he had taken the wrong path, that this was the wrong house, but no…

Shin's house looked like it always had, build in warm, dark wood, looking inviting in the tall grass of the clearing. But it was abandoned. So was Shin's bench under the almond tree which was in full blossom. The harp had been left on the ground next to the empty bench.

Yuda felt a surge of panic and almost yelled out his beloved's name in alarm. But then he heard the voices. The soft tenor of his angel, unharmed, calm and… excited?

"This is beyond everything I had ever dared to hope for. You've answered my prayers, my friend."

"Heh, easy with the compliments. It's not healthy for my ego."

He followed the voices, Shin's and someone… else's. Shin's garden stretched all around the house, and there, on the other side, with a garden spade in hands, was his musician. His face was animated and his body language spoke of hard labour yet great satisfaction. His black robe, usually smooth and clean, was ruffled.

Yuda settled his eyes on the stranger. This new angel was almost as tall as him, but bulkier in build and very tanned. His eyes were a friendly green but with a glint of barely concealed mischief. His hair was as long as Yuda's but instead of a feisty red it was a very dark brown bordering on black. His robe was a dark green. He was smiling at Shin.

Yuda didn't like it.

Still hidden by the corner of the house, he listened in on them a little more.

"Your help has been a fortunate assistance." Shin gestured at something behind them. "It looks excellent."

"Your garden is what's excellent, sunlight, space and quiet," The green-eyed angel praised, resting his dirt-covered hands on his hips. Shin winched lightly at his words before chuckling.

"I don't know about quiet. My friends come by every once in a while and some of them…"

"Heh, oh well. You can't have it all!" He placed his hand on Shin's shoulder. "You should be able to manage, though. I will assist you every step of the way."

"I can never thank you enough, so you must let me do something in return," Shin insisted.

"I would never decline an invitation to lunch in this garden. The view is outstanding."

"Ah… I am sorry but I was never much of a cook. But perhaps a musical concert of sorts?"

Yuda had heard enough.

He stepped out from the corner and approached them. The green-eyed angel noticed him first, but said nothing. Shin's eyes shone in surprise, delight and soft anxiety. All at the same time.

"Yuda!"

The stranger had backed away from Shin in politeness, but grinned confidently as he waited for the inevitable introduction. Yuda didn't exactly glare at him, but he couldn't keep his cold towards the stranger out of his eyes as their eyes met.

Yuda looked from the green-eyed stranger to Shin, to the 'secret' behind them. Seconds ticked by.

"A bush, Shin?"

The stranger snorted loudly in amusement, deciding not to wait for the introduction to speak up. He crossed his arms and grinned again.

"'Bush'? Heh, and I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, the apple of Zeus' eye."

Yuda almost glared this time, but Shin touched his arm and gestured between the two taller angels. It seemed it was time for a formal introduction.

"Jacob, this is Yuda. He trains the young adolescent angels in combat and self-defence." The stranger, Jacob, nodded at him. Shin turned to Yuda again.

"Yuda, this is Jacob. Heaven's most green-fingered fruit-farmer."

"'Fruit-farmer'? I see…" Yuda felt an unpleasant urge to mock Jacob, but the respect in Shin's voice stopped him.

"Yes, Jacob is the number one wine-brewing angel there is, he supplies wine at every holy event."

"Well, only when the wine meets my expectations. If I won't drink it, then I would never let anyone else have as much as a sip!" Jacob flashed Shin a brilliant smile. Yuda felt ice-cold in his stomach and had to speak up again:

"And you were tasting wine now? It's awfully early for that, no?"

"Ah, no… Jacob has been assisting me in my little garden experiment." Shin said hesitantly.

"We've spend the entire day planting Vitis Vinifera." Jacob smiled fondly at the bush, the small, leafy liana that twirled and swirled itself around the wooden branch supporting it.

"… Wine grapes?"

"Indeed. Your young friend here asked me to help him grow a grape wine yard." Yuda almost growled at the word 'friend', while Jacob merely chuckled at Shin's expression of embarrassment. "Mind you I explained that perhaps he should start out with one plant."

Jacob reached down and tested the branch-supporter by pulling at it. Shin's and Yuda's eyes meet briefly, Yuda's questioning eyes with Shin's pleading look of 'please, let it go'.

"It seems secure. All you have to do now is to give it time." He rested his rough hand on Shin's shoulder again. "I'll go now, but remember you can always reach me if you need help with your 'bush'-" he shot Yuda an amused look. "- or anything at all. I'll listen."

With that he nodded cheerfully at Yuda and disappeared into the forest.

Shin and Yuda were quiet for a short while. Yuda was reminded of the absence of music once again. The silence, the sudden distance between his musician and himself. Was it really just yesterday they had agreed on meeting here, at this time, to talk and enjoy music? And now he knew that Shin was also having meetings at his house with a famous fruit-farmer? If he had not come this early, would he ever have found out?

"Yuda, you came early today." Shin said softly, eyes settling on everything but Yuda.

"I always come a little early. I like to listen to your music before I greet you."

"Spying on me, Yuda? I'm appalled." Shin joked gently, but his heart wasn't in it.

Yuda looked at his beloved. Every angel could see that Shin was beautiful, with his long blue hair, his oval face and glasses that framed the most mesmerizing golden eyes Yuda had ever seen. A slender body, covered almost entirely in black silken fabrics, nimble hands and fingers now trying to smooth out the soft wrinkles in his robe and dust off the dirt on his knees.

Shin was ... indescribable. Yuda most definitely wasn't the only one to see his divine beauty. Yuda's friend Goh had admitted being smitten with Shin the first time the fire-master met the serene harpist. Jacob might be no difference. But what did Shin think when he looked at other angels? Yuda didn't know this.

"The 'bush' can take care of itself for the rest of the evening," Shin smiled softly. "Shall we stay in my garden? I have cherry-pie."

"Cherry-pie? You cooked?"

"Luckily no, Rei came by last night, with a basket full of food as usually. Insisted I kept everything we couldn't eat."

"And you managed to eat the entire basket except for a pie?" Yuda tried to lift the mood, teased the other.

"Brute," Shine couldn't suppress a laugh. Yuda loved his laugh. "Come on, find a place to sit."

The rest of the evening was awkward. They didn't talk much. Rei's cooking was exquisite as always and as the sun began to set Shin picked up his harp, letting his fingers ghost over the strings. Yuda wanted to ask about Jacob, but every time he was about to speak up, he remembered Shin's eyes, the way they had begged him not to talk about the incident.

Shin put an end to their awkward small-talk and began to play. But his mind was also elsewhere. The music was uninspired, even off-key at moments. Yuda noticed that his musician's fingers were shaking a little.

Later they bade their good-byes and good-nights. Yuda leaned in and pressed his lips to Shin's forehead. That kind of intimacy between them was natural, but as he kissed his beloved's skin a strong feeling of possessiveness and anger welled up in him and he accidently grasped Shin's arm a little too tight. The smaller angel winched but said nothing.

Yuda was about to apologize when Shin kissed him back on his cheek, hard. Shin rarely kissed him. Only when he was very relieved, very happy, or very, very sorry. Or when he had had a little to drink. Wine for instance. Yuda's anger burned again.

He released Shin's arm and turned around. He didn't look back as he headed back home through the quiet forest.

* * *

The next morning Yuda woke up with a gasp. The memories of the day before hit him and heart-ache and an overwhelming sense of guilt made him squeeze his eyes shut in pain.

He didn't have any young angels to tutor today, no excuse not to go see Shin, make sure that things were okay between them, hold him. He would have to go into town, though.

Shin often volunteered to teach angels of all ages to play music, other times he would just sit and play near the marketplace. The life and activity of the place inspired Shin to compose some of his merrier tunes. His friends always smiled as the musician of their group played, oblivious to the admiring crowd gathering around them.

Yuda looked himself in the mirror. His hair was unruly and his eyes were wild with despair. The only problem was that he could only hope to tame his hair before facing his beloved.

The marketplace was busy and buzzing with excited chatter from angels out shopping, selling or simply hanging out with their friends. Yuda's appearance was always met with nods of respect and acknowledgement. He was well-liked everywhere he went.

Many familiar faces that day: He spotted an irritated-looking Rei with Gai at his tail. The former trying to buy groceries, the latter teasing and pointed at the meat-seller, said something about 'chicken'.

Yuda was also spotted by Shiva who, fortunately, only waved in glee at the sight of him. Yuda gave a half-hearted wave back, but it seemed sufficient enough to save the day of his stalking admirer.

Kira and Maya were on their way out of the crowded marketplace. They always did their shopping early in the morning, not wanting to be the centre of attention, Half-bloods as they were, when the marketplace got really crowded. Yuda would have liked to talk to them, but they were already gone before he got the chance.

Besides, he needed to confront Shin first, heal whatever might have been broken between them last night.

"Yuda?" The voice startled the red-haired angel.

"Goh!"

Goh it was. Nearly as tall as himself, muscular, bi-coloured eyes and brown, spiky hair. His friend studied him carefully before indicating with his finger that he was to follow. They sat down near the river in silence. Yuda could tell that Goh had sensed what was troubling him already.

"… Here, have a little." Goh offered him a small canteen. It was wine. "You look pale, it will do you good."

"It's too early for that kind of drinking."

"My friend, your eyes look haunted. If Shin sees you like this he'll be even more upset."

Yuda grimaced as he took a swig. Goh watched him in silence.

"He is late today. He is never late," Goh explained. "When I noticed you and the state you're in I assumed that the two of you had a disagreement of sorts."

Yuda handed the canteen back, grateful that Goh hadn't made him drink from a wine bottle. Wine bottles were always a rich, dark green. Jacob's eyes.

"I won't ask you about it. I trust you to fix your problems yourselves." Goh continued softly.

"Thank you. And I will," Yuda said stiffly. He suddenly remembered how Goh himself once had held affections for Shin.

Goh looked like he was going to say something, but the crowded began hushing and it was apparent that Shin had arrived. Both angels got to their feet and entered the crowd.

Shin looked pale yet still as wonderful as always. Almost regal-looking in the sunshine he sat down next to a young adolescent angel, a student of his. The smaller musician, trembling hands clutching at his instrument, stared open-mouthed at the crowd.

"Poor soul's petrified," Goh whispered next to Yuda. He seemed torn between concern and amusement. Goh had always been overprotecting of everybody around him.

The crowd stared hopefully at them, the angels of Heaven already very familiar with this musically gifted beauty and his usually talented students. Shin, however, didn't seem to take notice at all. He was absorbed in strumming his harp gently, no melody yet. Shin always let his students start the show, let them choose and set the mood.

The student started, a self-conscious blush on his cheekbones. A sad melody filled the air, long keening notes flew from his harp. The crowd smiled overbearingly. This student was good at playing his instrument, but the melody sounded rehearsed and wasn't very original or inspiring.

That was until Shin joined his student. A soft timbre began accompanying the melody, almost like rain or tears falling on a velvet pillow. Shin let his sorrowful timbre climb up and down the scales his student played in, let it speed up only to slow down again.

Yuda felt the pain in his chest just as clearly as he had in the morning. Shin was hurting just as much as him, he could tell.

Yet another familiar face appeared in his line of vision; this face less welcome. Bronze-tanned skin and dark-green eyes, eyes that rested attentively on the musicians, mostly Yuda's musician. Yuda realized that he must have glowered somewhat fiercely at Jacob when Goh nudged him gently.

"You know him?" Goh asked quietly. Yuda growled inwardly in irritation.

"… Fruit-farmer."

"… Alright. Does he have a name, too?"

"Jacob." Goh's eyes widened.

"Jacob?" he whispered back. "Yuda, he's the most talented wine brewer there ever was! What would he be doing here?"

A pair of young adults hushed at them. Yuda nodded in apologize while Goh seemed mildly dazed.

"A friend of Shin's," he explained shortly, trying to lose himself again in Shin's wordless agony. Goh must have realized everything then, because the stiffened beside him, shook his head before pulling lightly at Yuda, pulled him away from the crowd, Jacob and the music.

"Yuda?"

"It seems that Shin and Jacob have been spending some time together for a while," Oh, but it hurt to say this. He didn't want to acknowledge it out loud, not yet, not ever. "They have been planting wine grapes in Shin's garden."

Goh listened and fell silent. Yuda looked his friend in the eyes. Asked what he already knew.

"Shin is very beautiful. Don't you think?" Goh looked taken aback.

"He- I, well, yes. Shin is very easy on the eyes," Yuda crossed his arms. "But that was a long time ago, Yuda, you know this. I loved his music, still do, but I also wanted the calm serenity you have in his presence. He made it clear to me, gently - he is a good-natured person, that he didn't like me back that way, and he is a dear friend-"

"Easy, Goh," Yuda interrupted his friend's rambling softly, feeling awful for causing him stress and digging up old wounds. "I am sorry, my friend. I am merely upset and unknowing about the angel I love's relationship with a total stranger."

"They might just be friends." Goh offered gently.

Yuda didn't answer that. They both turned their attention back to the applauding crowd. Shin smiled at his beaming student. Friends of the adolescent musician came up and praised him, congratulated him. Shin received handshakes and flowers.

Yuda frowned. So many handsome angels touching Shin's delicate fingers in wonder. He still hadn't talked openly with Shin about his discomfort with these kinds of situations. He was proud of Shin's talent, but disliked others' admiration for him. He had seen what angels were capable of, had saved a young angel named Pandora from rape once.

His darker secrets, Yuda's longings and concerns. When he was alone, his mind would create visions of beauty flawed by decay, he could see the things he loved and people he cared about disappearing, imagined Shin being taken from him.

He longed to tell Shin about his worries, his burden. He also wanted Shin to whisper how much he cared for him in his ear, wanted to touch him, wanted to be touched.

Yuda watched as Jacob approached Shin, wine bottle in hand. Shin accepted the gift with a blush, Jacob said something to him quietly. Shin nodded. Jacob then noticed Yuda, grinned at him and went on his way.

Yuda's didn't like it at all.

* * *

Days went by...

He and Shin had not gotten to talk things through properly. They had held hands a lot, walking together in silence by the riverbank, in the forest. Shin even embraced Yuda on his own volition when they parted ways to go home; a welcomed relief but also very unnerving.

But of course the bane of Yuda's existence would make his appearance again. This time they were all gathered, Yuda, Goh, Rei, Gai, Luca and Shin, in the white pavilion in the city. They had been discussing the increasing number of harassment-incidents and vandalism in Heaven.

"I just don't get it, guys!" Gai exclaimed loudly, making Rei jump in his seat. "It's mean and offensive and-"

"They are restless, Gai," Luca said quietly. "Heaven is so peaceful that they don't know what to do with themselves."

"How can they see that as a problem? Peace is good! What do they want, war?"

"Easy, Gai-"

"No, Goh, I will not calm down," huffed the smallest of their group. "Maya is too afraid to go anywhere on his own, scared of almost every angel he sees! It shouldn't be this way."

"No, it shouldn't," Yuda agreed. "And we all feel for Kira and Maya. But angels weren't created to sit around and do nothing. We were given personalities, abilities and a mind and drive of our own. None of us are the same."

"Well," Gai mumbled, hugging his knees to his chest. "Some angels are just royal jerks, nothing miraculous about them."

"Also," Rei spoke up. "We were all given secrets, Gai. Sides of ourselves that we either cannot share of will not share with our fellow angels."

"Dark, dirty secrets?" Gai grinned at Rei who blushed.

"W-well, I don't know," Rei sputtered softly. Luca laid a hand on the lavender-haired angel.

"It's different from angel to angel," he explained, squeezing Rei's shoulder gently.

"Some angels never open up," Shin said softly. Yuda flinched inwardly at his words. 'Never'?

"We might never understand what is troubling their minds," Shin continued while Goh nodded solemnly beside him.

"Exactly," Goh sighed. "And thus we cannot end this yet."

They all sit in silence, sharing their depression, letting the busy life of the town pass them by.

That was until Gai smirked at the others, back to his old, playful self.

"I don't know about you guys, but my dark, secretive mind longs for some sort of party right now!"

"How unlike you, Gai."

"Shut up! Err…" Gai shrunk under Goh's disapproving glare. "Sorry Rei. Anyway, how about the six of us, dinner? A celebration of our own awesomeness!"

"…Awesomeness?" Luca repeated slowly.

"Yeah! Rei can cook some delicious chicken-"

"NEVER!"

"- and we could have music and wine-"

"I would like that," Shin smiled. "Would everyone like to come to my place?"

"Yeah!"

"That sounds very nice," Luca smiled. Yuda, Rei and Goh nodded, enjoying the happy moment.

"Tomorrow evening sounds okay with you?" Rei asked. "I would like some time to plan and shop for the meals."

"Whatever you need," Goh chuckled.

"OH! I would love to try this new recipe I discovered at the library!" Rei had to stand up, couldn't conceal his excitement. "But I'll have to shop by the butcher, buy some ham."

The other angels watched in amusement as their friend began pacing and planning out-loud.

"Broccoli and cheese as well… Oh, I do hope that no trouble-makers have been targeting my favourite cheese stand yet. It seems as if they want to vandalize the food industry these days: the corn fields, the sheep herds-"

"The wine cellars…" a voice added. Rei spun around in surprise.

Jacob was sitting on a black, shiny stallion, grinning friendly at the lavender-haired angel.

"Jacob!" Shin's eyes were wide. Yuda felt his stomach turn.

The green-eyed farmer smiled happily at Shin. He jumped off his horse so that he could greet them properly.

"Shin, my friend," he smirked at Yuda. "Yuda… And friends of Shin and Yuda."

"Ah, everybody, this is Jacob. He's a very talented wine brewer." Yuda noticed Gai whispering excited in Goh's ear. "Jacob, these are my friends: Rei, my childhood friend, flying angel and an unfairly good cook."

Jacob shook Rei's hand in a friendly manner. Rei's face heated up.

"So that's what all the planning was about. I bet you are very gifted with the arts of the cuisine."

"Eh- I, uhm, I am not t-that good…" Rei stammered, glowing with joy at the compliments.

"This is Goh. Goh masters the element of fire and trains young angels in combat like Yuda does."

Jacob shook Goh's hand as well.

"I have nothing but good words to say about your wine, Jacob. The holy festivities wouldn't be the same without them." Goh smiled.

"Heh, thank you, Goh. You may come by my wine cellar any day you want and taste my newly brewed red-wine."

"I would like that, thank you!"

Shin smiled softly and gestured at the excited cat-enthusiast beside Goh.

"My friend Gai. Impossibly strong and speaks well with the animals."

"Oh? Well, can you speak with horses?" Jacob asked as he shook the blonde's hand. "My stallion, Orion, has been having behaviour problems as of lately, and I simply cannot figure out why…"

"Errr, not so well, I'm sorry!" Gai rubbed his neck, before grinning. "It's probably just his darker, secretive mind acting up!"

"Gai!" Goh looked mortified.

"Really? Hmm, never thought about that…" Jacob looked thoughtful.

Shin cleared his throat, looking a little disturbed.

"Ehm, finally this is Luca. Luca is also a flying angel and he can read the mind of everyone he touches."

Jacob froze mid-handshake, starred at their hands. Luca laughed softly.

"Nothing to worry about, I rarely do so. It takes a lot of energy and it is also very invasive on the privacy. 'Rude' for the lack of a better word."

"Well, I must say that you have some incredible abilities," Jacob praised, eyes glinting warmly. "Zeus sure loves you!"

Gai beamed at Goh, who smiled back gently. Rei peeked at Jacob's saddle-back. Jacob noticed and smiled at Shin.

"I have something for you, my friend."

"For me?" Shin looked genuinely surprised, even a little embarrassed at the looks he got from the others. Yuda braced himself for the worst: a bottle of wine with a pink, heart-covered ribbon tied to it, perhaps a well-written love letter with love-declaration after love-declaration…

It turned out that he wasn't so far off.

"Oh, it's gorgeous!" Rei breathed.

A beautiful rosebush with dark-green, rain-kissed leaves and Bourgogne-red roses still in bud. Jacob held it in his arms as tenderly as was it a fragile child. Yuda's watched as the rose's thorns began cutting into his arm. Jacob didn't even flinch.

"Jacob!" Shin protested as the bush was offered to him. "I can't. Your roses are important to your garden, they serve an important duty!"

"Nonsense, Shin, of course you can!" Jacob gently placed the plant in Shin's arms, refused to reclaim it when the musician offered it back. "And you of all angels should understand the importance of this rose, I mean, in your situation and everything."

They shared a secret look, they had an understanding. Yuda hated it, hated it, hated it, hated it.

"It will love to live in your garden," Jacob smiled confidently, knowing he had won. Shin held the bush a little closer to himself, eyes on the ground.

"Couldn't you have given me some fertilizer instead?" Shin mumbled weakly. Gai snorted like a brat.

"Yeah, because nothing screams 'I adore you' like gift-wrapped shi-"

"GAI!"

"… Sorry, Goh."

A silence fell over them. Shin was still looking at the grass under his feet, his friends sensed his unease. Jacob must have sensed it too because he coughed softly and got into his saddle again.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you guys! Please take care. And Goh? Remember to come by my place some day!" He glanced at Shin shortly. "You come to me, Shin, if you need guidance about where to plant it."

"I remember how…" Shin whispered before turning around and leaving in the direction of his house, no good-byes offered.

Jacob looked a little remorseful about something, then quickly waved at Yuda and his friends and took off as well. Silence again.

"… Yuda-"

"I'll see you guys tomorrow at Shin's place," Yuda interrupted Rei and walked away. It took every bit of self-control he possessed not to break into a run. He could hear snippets of an argument between Luca and Goh behind him.

"You did what?"

"Goh, I had to know! I had to know… For Yuda's sake. And Shin's too."

Yuda hated it, hated it all. He ran as soon as he was entered the forest path leading to his house, ran all the way home.

* * *

The next afternoon Yuda met a sulky looking Gai near the path leading to Shin's house.

"Gai? What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," the blonde mumbled as he kicked a rock into a water-puddle. "I just tasted one of Shin's grapes and he went berserk."

"Oh, really? Shin did?"

"Uh-huh! Told me never to eat from it again, said the grapes weren't for me," Gai stuck his tongue out. It was a little purple from the fruits he had been eating. "I mean, come on! They didn't even taste good! They were sour, bitter and- yuck!"

"Then perhaps you should learn to save your appetite for some of Rei's dishes, hmm?"

Gai mumbled something before walking with Yuda the rest of the way back to the house.

Yuda felt a surge of relief when he noticed Luca and Rei sitting under the almond tree, Shin at his bench, playing his harp. Everything seemed normal. Back to the usual. Goh came up to them, scolded Gai for running off, while Gai whined and protested.

Everything was as Yuda knew it.

Until his eyes found the wine grape plant. And to his horror the rosebush had been placed right under it, dark-green leaves moving gently in the wind.

Goh noticed him staring.

"That was how it looked when we arrived. I asked him about it discreetly but he insists that it's the right place."

Yuda nodded, didn't look away from the obscene display of Shin's secrets. These gifts from Jacob meant something important to Shin. If they were courting gifts, then Shin would practically be accepting the other angel's advances by planting them so obviously there, in his garden.

This place that used to be Yuda's sacred place.

"All right, everybody," Rei called. "I know it's nice outside today, but my new recipe contains a lot of fruits and sugar, it might attract bees."

"Oh, boy. Lots of sugar," Goh murmured, looking briefly at Gai in despair.

"Hey, I only got sugar-high once, bastard!"

"- So I suggest we move the party inside," Rei continued a little louder, glaring at the brown-haired angel and the blonde.

"I have already set a table," Shin smiled gently at the rest of them. It seemed he had gotten over his embarrassment from the day before.

"All right, let's go," Rei ordered, pulling lightly at Luca's arm.

Yuda took his seat next to Shin, 'accidently' brushing his knee against Shin's. The musician flushed a little but he did return the touch, eyes on the table. Yuda had hoped for a brief smile, some sort of reassuring reaction from Shin's face.

Rei brought in the food: a delicious looking pie and a salad of watermelon, arugula and goat-cheese.

Gai came stumbling in last from outside, hands on his back. He looked a little troubled. Goh sighed before Gai even spoke a word.

"Hey Shin? I just noticed something a little weird by your grape plant-thingy," Gai said as he sat down in his chair. Shin looked up, alarmed.

"What?"

"I swear, I wasn't gonna eat more or anything, well, maybe try one tiny grape, but-"

"Gai, please…" Shin sounded worried.

"Well, the rosebush looked kind of… Errr, what's the word? Pathetic? Weak? I would say that it seemed kind of ill, did you forget to water it?"

"Oh, no…" Shin flew out of his chair, out of his door. Rei followed slowly.

"I'll go check," he informed the others. "Please, eat! While it's hot."

Gai didn't need to be told twice, but he kept glancing towards the door, hoping to catch a glance of whatever was happening outside. Luca also knew better than wasting his food, very familiar with Rei's reaction to a spoiled meal. Goh looked at Yuda.

"Can plants catch diseases?" Yuda shrugged. He found that he didn't care much for the health of Jacob's gift-plants.

"I've never heard of a plant-doctor, so I'll hope they can't"

"… Ugh, Luca, that was lame," Gai snickered. Luca merely smiled as he cut out another bite.

The door flew open and Shin stormed in. It happened very fast. His eyes found Yuda's and the red-haired angel thought he saw something akin to remorse in them. Then Shin settled his eyes on everybody at the table.

"I am terrible sorry, but I must leave you," he licked his lips shyly. "M-my rose is ill, and I'll have to reach town before Jacob closes his shop. He'll know what to do."

"Please, Shin, stay with us," Rei pleaded, looking completely nonplussed. "It's just a flowe-"

"No," Shin interrupted quickly. "I'm so sorry, Rei. It looks delicious, but I cannot stay. But please feel free to stay as long as you like, I'll be back in some hours."

Shin rushed out of the door.

Rei waited a moment before slowly easing himself into his seat next to Luca. Everybody began eating in silence. Yuda gazed shortly at the empty chair next to him.

* * *

It was hours later that Yuda found himself outside Shin's house, alone.

Shin hadn't returned, 3 hours later. And while the others sat in Shin's living room, talking softly, Yuda had needed some fresh air.

It took half an hour to walk from the city to Shin's house. There and back again equalled one hour. Why was he taking so long? Were they talking still? And were they even talking about the rose?

"Hey," Luca's voice greeted softly from behind. Yuda nodded in greeting.

"… It's kind of cold tonight. Won't you come inside?"

"In a moment, I promise."

Luca didn't leave him. He stood silently beside him, his body tense. Yuda knew that he was about to share a secret with him.

"Luca?"

"Yuda, I lied to Jacob," the white-haired angel whispered.

"What?"

"I lied to him. I did read his mind, I had to know," Luca bid his lip. Yuda knew how he hated to lie. "But I felt your distress, sensed the severity of the situation. I had to know."

Yuda nearly grasped his friend by the collar, wanted him to spill it, the secret.

"And what? What?"

"And nothing, Yuda."

Yuda released a shuddering breath, leaning back against the wall.

"I swear I would never lie to you, Yuda, and I'm telling you now that Jacob holds no romantic feelings for Shin. Nothing. He considers Shin a friend, a close one even despite how they just met, but nothing more…"

"…" Yuda felt dizzy.

"Yuda? This- I, isn't this good news? Isn't this what you wanted?"

Was it? Yuda had thought that it would ease his pain, but suddenly he felt even worse.

"Yuda?" Luca looked worried.

"Then it is Shin."

"What do you mean? He-"

"Shin is the one who is in love with another, with Jacob!"

It made sense! Yuda's mind flashed images of the past few weeks, he saw everything again: Shin's excitement over Jacob's grape wine bushes, the begging look in Shin's eyes when Yuda had tried to ask about the purpose of it, the rosebush, the still hidden meaning of this flower.

Yuda steadied himself against the wall while Luca supported him, talked gently to him. Yuda didn't hear him.

His traitorous mind continued without mercy: The roses planted right up against the wine grapes, how it looked like the complete betrayal of his beloved. Gai running in, telling him that the roses looked bad all of a sudden, Shin's expression of out-right horror, his decision to leave the party, his decision to run off to Jacob. His determination to save his and Jacob's love-bond. Even if Jacob didn't love him back.

Yuda gasped and stumbled out of his childhood friend's arms, walked unsteadily away from his musician's house, his friends, and the ill-looking rosebush.

"Tell Shin that I fell ill."

"You shouldn't be alone! Wait-"

"Have a pleasant evening, my friend. Please stay and entertain the others on behalf of the both of us."

With that he fled. Yuda didn't even remember the walk back home.

* * *

A week went by. Yuda never left his house, told everyone he was ill.

It was the truth, too.

He ached with every movement he made, with every meal Rei talked him into eating. He rarely took notice of his friends when they came by. Later he would feel very guilty for practically ignoring a concerned Maya and Kira who had travelled far to see him, many times even.

Luca barely left his side, sitting with him in silence, respecting that Yuda didn't want to discus the 'other possible explanations'. Yuda didn't feel like getting his hopes up.

Goh and Gai visited him together, Gai unusually fidgeting, probably very anxious. Goh calmly talked about their students, the young angels promising talents. He seemed calm.

"Shin asked me to give you this," he said one day.

Yuda stiffened at the mention of his musician's name. Goh handed him a rose with a 'Get Well Soon'-note attached to it. Yuda swallowed bitterly.

Shin wasn't even coming to see him? Wasn't going to come and tell him he was sorry, but he was still in love with someone else?

"He's too busy with a… project of sorts, to come see you at the moment," Goh explained while looking out of the window. "He hasn't even had the time to take any students to the market-place either."

"I see…" Yuda managed.

If Shin was busy courting Jacob and nursing his roses then all the minor things had to wait: his adoring students, his exquisite music, Yuda...

"He'll come by the day after tomorrow," Goh added. "That's what he told me."

"Thank you, my friend. But I don't thin-"

"He'll come by and talk, he said," Goh continued, looking at a deer passing the fields behind Yuda's house.

A little while later Goh left, Gai hot at his heels.

Yuda understood the silent order from Goh: be here alone the day after tomorrow, let Shin you're your home and hear him out. The deer was standing watchfully in the windy grass, spying out for predators.

The seconds ticked by.

* * *

Shin knocked timidly at his door.

"Yuda? Are you awake?"

Yuda looked himself in the mirror. He wore his usual blue robe and he had tidied his hair a little. It still appeared a little dull in colour and volume, its feistiness reduced immensely.

"Yes, come on in."

Shin entered, face looking pale and lost, brilliant eyes looked heavy from lack of sleep. His black robe was smooth and embraced his slender body like a lover. It hit Yuda like a lightening bolt: he hadn't seen Shin in a week.

By Zeus he was beautiful. Even when he looked this tired and unsure of himself.

Shin sat down hesitantly on the single chair in the small living area, a basket he had brought along was carefully placed next to the chair. Yuda remained standing.

"I apologize for not seeing you before now. I was-"

"Busy, I know. Goh explained everything it to me."

"He explained _everything_?" Shin seemed a little startled. "He couldn't have, no one was to know besides Jacob."

That name did it. Yuda couldn't bear it any longer.

"Shin! If something I did upset you or didn't please you, you should have told me!" Yuda's voice was raw and hoarse. "If you began having feelings for one of your students, one of your many admirers, or you favourite fruit-farmer you should also have told me!"

Shin rushed to his feet, held up his hand in something that should be a calming manner, his eyes shocked and frightened.

"No angel with just the slightest bit of honour would court and be courted back in his supposed-lover's presence. Not to mention their shared friends!"

Yuda hadn't spoken this much in a week. His throat protested in pain.

"Yuda, my love, no, it's not like that," Shin clutched onto his hands, panicked. "Please listen to me, oh, my love!"

"I don't understand, Shin! Help me understand!"

"I will, shh, my love, I promise. I will explain everything now!"

Yuda wrestled his hand free from Shin's death grip so that he could clutch onto his hands instead, not letting go, not willing to risk Shin getting away.

"It's… such a long story, Yuda," Shin began, eyes shimmering a little. "And perhaps I should start with the ending of it."

Yuda didn't understand.

"Please release my hands, there's something I need to show you. Please."

After a moments hesitation Yuda did as Shin asked of him. Shin reached into the basket he had brought along without breaking eye-contact.

"Here. I made this for you."

"… I don't understand. Shin?"

A dark-blue bottle of liquid was offered to him. Yuda realized by the dark-red colour of the liquid what it was.

"I have spent what seems like an eternity studying books about gardening, so that I successfully could harvest my grapes and begin the fermentation process 6 days ago. I hardly got out of my house, had to make sure the temperature was accurate for the best results. It has been a long week, but I am somewhat satisfied with the outcome."

"Wine?"

"Yes. Like the one Jacob makes, only this is my own."

Yuda held the bottle in his hands, weighing it slightly. He could hear the wine splashing softly against the glass. Shin sat down again, headed bowed. He radiated a strong uncertainty.

"I… I remember the first few times I observed you at social gatherings, all those years ago, right after we met. You shone in comparison with the others. You still do."

A soft chuckle.

"I couldn't really believe that you had spoken to me, complimented me that night by the river, asked me to come to your house and play music for you," their eyes met briefly before Shin turned his attention back to his feet. "I have never practised like I did before our first private concert."

Yuda remembered that day as well, the butterflies he had felt in his stomach the entire time. They had been sitting in Yuda's small couch, knees touching every once in a while.

There had been beautiful music, too.

"I spend most of my time at the parties we went to observing what you liked to talk about, what kind of people's company you enjoyed the most. I even studied your favourite foods."

Yuda blinked. They both chuckled.

"I remember you trying to cook for me at many occasions," Yuda said. "But most of the time I discovered that the meals you had secretly prepared had already been thrown out with the garbage."

Shin winched and flushed.

"You knew that?"

"I didn't mean to go through you stuff, but…"

"I know how you are. And you know how I will never learn to cook." Shin smiled gently, looking Yuda in the eyes, getting to his feet. "So I thought that I would make you your favourite beverage instead."

"You made this wine for me," Yuda stated instead of asking this time. He was starting to understand a little. But what about…? "What about Jacob?"

"If I had known that he would upset you this much I would never have contacted him," Shin smiled sadly, touching Yuda's arm timidly. "But I couldn't get my grape wines to grow. He came to me after I begged him for help, and after I explained that I wanted to make you a gift, he brought me a wine plant of better quality and showed me where to plant it."

Yuda put the bottle on his table and rested his hands at Shin's waist, lingering.

"He told me to say that he is very sorry about any wrong signals he might have been sending. He's always been very out-going and touchy-feely. But he is that way with everybody. I was a little startled the first time he padded my arm, I must admit. But it's alright now. He's a good person.

He thought that my idea was sweet and helped me, answered every stupid question I had. He even gave me one of his rosebushes."

"What's the deal with the roses?" Yuda had been so terrified of their meaning, but the feeling of calm that Shin's warmth gave him soothed his heartbeat.

"Wine farmers grow roses in their fields, literally in the wine plants. The roses catches plant-diseases easier that the wine plants. They will always be the first victim of viruses and the likes of that. If the farmer sees that his roses are looking ill he can act fast before the disease spreads to the wine."

"That's very clever," Yuda remarked softly.

"That it is, Yuda."

They were standing close, but still at half an arm's length. Their hands carefully felt the other's arms and shoulders.

"There's still a thing I have to know."

"Mmm?"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this? We could have been saved from a lot of heart-ache, and or friends all think that we will break apart any minute."

Shin sighed miserable and looked away. Yuda was terrified for a second that he had said something wrong, that Shin would leave him forever. But his musician, his beloved, merely looked embarrassed.

"I know and I apologize. I will also apologize and explain everything to them, soon. It's just…"

"What is it, love?"

Shin blushed at the endearment. Yuda wanted to kiss his reddening cheek.

"I only wanted to try for once to do something spontaneous, wanted to surprise you. I wanted what Rei can do for Luca, cook him everything that exist on a whim, everything he could possibly ever think of," Shin shook his head.

"I l-love you so much, Yuda. I don't know how to fight like a true angel yet, and I tend to be terrible shy around new people. I cannot cook and I barely managed to keep a single wine plant alive without messing up the trust of my friends and the angel I l-love the most."

"Shh, Shin, it's okay."

"All I can do right is playing the harp. And Yuda, I… I am so scared of losing you."

Shin fell quiet. He was tense in Yuda's arm as he embraced his blue-haired beauty.

Yuda was amazed. He had always longed for them to open up to each other, yet he had feared that he would be ridiculed if he spoke of his darker, secret thoughts. But now Shin had been the first to speak so openly and vulnerably about his fears and insecurities.

And, by Zeus, what scared them the most was the very same thing: losing each other.

"Shin, I want to tell you a secret."

"Yuda?"

"Shin, my love. The truth is that your music to me is far more precious than any wine or meal anyone could ever give me. You're my sanctuary of peace and love. I feel stronger around you, your glow scares away any dark thoughts I have. I have seen the terrible things angels can do to each other, and when I am alone, all I think about is how I would never want to see any harm come to you. But when I see you again, sitting with your harp, it all goes away. I, Shin… I love you more than anything."

Shin's face was hidden in Yuda's neck, but Yuda felt his response to his words. He felt Shin's body warm in love and relax in his arms. He shivered as Shin released a shuddering breath against his skin. He felt the tears.

"Don't cry, Shin."

"I l-love you," Shin whispered, pressing himself closer. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Yuda hesitated, hoping he wasn't overstepping his love's boundaries. "Shin? May I kiss your lips?"

Shin didn't answer. He pulled Yuda's head downwards and initiated the kiss himself. Yuda closed his eyes, sensed the soft, moist warmth of his angel against his lips. They both whimpered in shy pleasure, Yuda's hands pulling Shin closer to himself. Shin pulled back only to kiss the red-haired angel's bottom lip very gently, lovingly. They opened their eyes.

"- love you," they muttered together.

Flush-faced and short-breathed, they sat in the small couch together. Both a little shy, but still tingling with pleasure they shared a smile. Yuda intertwined their fingers. Their knees were touching.

The wine bottle glinted in the magenta sunset, as the two angels rested against each other in silence. It was now, while Shin pressed another timid kiss to his cheek, that Yuda understood that even without harp-play, there would always be music.

There had and always would be music between them.

**~ ~ ~ FIN ~ ~ ~**

**Before you say anything, I have to say: yes, I somehow managed to write 20-something pages about 'Zeh Wine ****Gift of Doomz'! X3**

**Why me?**

**I am so sorry for any OOC-ness I might have written! ****But in reality I was trying to capture the insecurities of our main-characters. And, dear me, I think I managed. Like it is so wisely said in Tropic Thunder:**

'**Wow! The insecurity level of you guys is unbelievable!' **

**Or something like that…**

**But, hey, if Yuda and Luca could go evil all of a sudden, then I suppose that there was a little darkness and what-not in them all along. I mean, angels can't be perfect, right?**

**And, also, can anybody tell that I really like writing dialogue? I ha****d a blast creating some of these scenes. Should I write more? **

**Random wine facts provided by yours truly: **

**1) Wine grapes equals wine. Yum! **

**2) Wine farmers DO plant roses in their fields – and Shin's explanation is a true story! I remember walking last summer in the mighty France with my braniac, wine-obsessed parents, asking about all those flowers. They told me why and my brain thought this story out on a whim. **

**3) And, yes, it only takes a week approximately from the grapes is harvested from the fields until the wine can be put into bottles or barrels. But you still might want to wait a couple of years before drinking it. It'll taste better then.**

**Remember, kids, Wikipedia is yours friend if you want more information about the wonders of wine-making! (As if…)**

**Now guys, I would love to hear what YOU think! PLEASE tell me in what aspects I rocked, and in what aspects I sucked. The longer reviews I get, the more inspired to write more I'll get X3 I might have a series of one-shots in mind? Interested? Then REVIEW! LOL**

**Blackmail, I know! Heeheehee! **

**See you again – bye! Thank you for reading!**


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